


Before the Second Show

by anr



Category: Stargate Atlantis RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-17
Updated: 2007-08-17
Packaged: 2017-11-23 04:07:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/617904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anr/pseuds/anr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Torri and Joe said I love you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the Second Show

  


* * *

  


The water is freezing, the wet cling of her clothes uncomfortable, but it's the shit-eating grin on Joe's face as he watches her flounder to the edge of Paul's pool that pisses her off the most.

"Bastard," she manages, swiping at the strands of hair caught in the corner of her mouth. "You complete and utter _bastard_!"

Across the yard, there's a shout as Rachel and Jason corner David by the barbeque and pelt him with their supply of water balloons. Above her, Joe slings his supersoaker over his shoulder and reaches down to help her out.

"Aww," he says, still grinning, "I love you too."

Taking his hand, she pulls him in.

  


* * *

  


Her agent sends her some scripts to look over -- a guest appearance in another show, two telemovies, an independent -- and she spends most of the day browsing through them, mumbling random lines to herself between takes.

After work, she's sitting on the steps leading up to her trailer when Joe skates over, out of costume and clearly finished for the day. "Hey," he says, dropping down beside her and flicking the edge of the script she's reading, "what's up with the forest today?"

She swats his hand away. "Just some stuff my agent thought I might be interested in."

"Yeah? Anything good?"

She shrugs. "Maybe." She turns to the next page and continues reading, only to start when he reaches across and steals the script from her. "Hey!"

His turn to swat her hands away. He scans the lines briefly. "What character?"

"Lisa," she says, "now --"

"Okay, I'll read Mark." He clears his throat and then looks at her, an earnest expression on his face. " _I brought you some flowers_."

 _Don't laugh_ , she thinks and bites her lip. Then she thinks, _what the hell_. Leaning closer, she looks at the script for the next line. " _You shouldn't have done that._ "

" _They're daisies. Your favourite._ "

" _Mark --_ " she says, and sighs, shaking her head. " _Don't. You can't want this, you know you're --_ "

" _Don't tell me what I want!_ " he says sharply, cutting her off. " _I want you, damnit. That's what I want. You!_ "

She closes her eyes. " _No._ "

" _Lis,_ " he says, and the anger fades from his voice as he reaches up to touch her chin with his fingertips. " _Look at me._ " She opens her eyes reluctantly. " _I love you._ "

 _Cut_ , she thinks suddenly, desperately, and then she doesn't think anything at all because his lips are on hers, soft and gentle. Her breathing stutters.

Joe pulls away, glancing down at the script and then back up at her. "I don't know," he says, frowning. "The lead up seemed a little... weak... to me."

"Yeah," she says faintly, "yeah." She clears her throat and takes the script off him. "I thought so too."

  


* * *

  


When Will calls them all back to the set after lunch, and Joe doesn't show, Torri volunteers to go get him; remembers seeing him skateboarding near the caterers trucks.

"Whatever," says Will, frustrated, running a hand through his hair, "just get him back here, and _fast_ ," and Torri walks away to the sound of muttered curses about timetables and actors, and how the two just never seem to work together.

Joe _is_ still behind the trucks, but he's not skateboarding anymore, he's talking on his cell. When he looks up and sees her approaching, she points to the watch on her wrist and he nods apologetically.

"Yeah, no, look, Kath, I gotta go. They're calling me back," he says into the phone, watching her lean against the side of the truck, "no, I shouldn't be too late -- yeah, I'll see you then." There's a pause and then Joe grins, rolling his eyes at whatever it is Kath has said; Torri smiles back. "Yeah, yeah. Sure. Okay, bye." Another pause and suddenly Joe's eyes meet hers, his gaze steady and direct. "I love you," he says, and pulls the cell away from his ear.

 _Breathe_ , she thinks, caught off guard by the combination of hearing him say those words (to his _wife_ , she reminds herself) and the intensity of the look he's giving her, _just breathe_. Her smile feels frozen; the sudden silence deafening.

He takes a step towards her and her reflexes kick in.

"Will's waiting," she says, pushing away from the truck, and after a split second of hesitation he nods, and smiles, waving in the general direction of the set.

"After you."

  


* * *

  


When Joe finds her hiding on the _Stargate_ set, not long after she's finished filming her final scene as a full time, regular cast member, her first thought is that she's needed for a reshoot or a behind-the-scenes quote or something equally work-related.

What she's not thinking -- and certainly not _expecting_ \-- is for him to back her up against the side of a MALP prop and kiss her.

Harsh and demanding, it's the type of kiss she hasn't received in years -- maybe not since high school -- and it spins her senses far too effectively. She's aroused in moments, her body responding before her mind has even a chance to catch up.

Pulling back, he stares at her, his ragged exhales a match for her own. His hands are on her shoulders still, fingers digging into her shoulder blades. "I love you," he says, and then lets her go.

He walks away before she can figure out what the hell just happened.

  


* * *

  


"I love you."

It's the first time she's ever said those words to him and, as she waits for his reaction, she wonders if it might not also be the last time.

There's a soft ding from down the hallway and she looks automatically to see a group of business men exiting the elevator. When they start walking towards them, she glances back to Joe.

He hasn't moved. He's still standing in the doorway to his hotel room, staring at her, and his expression -- his expression --

Shifting from foot to foot, she wonders what the _hell_ she was thinking, coming here so soon after...

He smiles. "Thank god," he says, and reaches out to pull her inside.

  


* * *

The End

**Author's Note:**

> ORIGINAL URL: <http://anr.livejournal.com/288720.html>


End file.
